Pacquiao vs Broner on Jan 12, says insider

Adrien Broner has a big announcement to make and we thought, for sure, he was close to confirming a fight with Floyd Mayweather. But, according to a Team Pacquiao insider, that's not the case.

Per a SPIN.ph source, as reported byPhilBoxing.com, a trustworthy source in Pacquiao's inner circle has confirmed Manny will face Broner on January 12. And a Pacquiao win, according to the source, would secure him a superfight rematch with Floyd Mayweather in May.

Last July, the 39 year old fight legend turned back the clock against KO artist Lucas Matthysse, dominating the former multi-division world champion before KOing him in Round 4 to claim the WBA Regular Welterweight Title.

Manny Pacquiao and Al Haymon?Apparently, Manny Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KO) is now doing business with Al Haymon, a Mayweather confidant and former or current business partner. Haymon, of course, has close connections with Showtime so if Pacquiao vs Broner takes place it will likely be broadcast on that network.

If the rumor is true, it makes sense because Pacquiao parted ways with his now-estranged promoter, Top Rank, earlier this year.

Maybe Team Pacquiao, perhaps not happy with the previous ESPN+ arrangement, believes it can get a better deal with Showtime, an established network with a solid customer base that has aired PPV boxing events for decades?

The Matthysse fight, broadcast by ESPN+, served as the first time in over 17 years Pacquiao fought without the promotional services of Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., the company that has guided Manny during most of his career. However, Top Rank did serve as a broadcast partner for that fight.

The pieces fitAnd let's not forget that Adrien Broner is a Al Haymon fighter so this rumor, whether true or not, is certainly believable.

What about Broner's $100 Million declaration?When Broner said recently he wouldn't fight Pacquiao or Mayweather for anything less than $100 Million, he was talking pure smack. Much of what he says is smack. C'mon now.

3-2-1Sure, Broner is only 3-2-1 in his last 6 fights but he appeared focused, in-shape and ready to fight on both occasions. He dropped a 12 round decision verdict to Mikey Garcia last year and earned a draw with in April against Jessie Vargas.

... Some are critical of Broner because he hasn't been dominant lately but those fellas, Garcia and Vargas, aren't exactly cream puffs. In fact, Garcia was, and still is, a top 10 pound-for-pound boxer.

An attractive optionAdrien Broner (38-3-1, 24 KOs) is a showman who garners a lot of interest when he fights. And interest equates to revenue, and a lot of both is healthy for the sport and good for the fighters. And let's face it, controversial bad boys tend to draw so it's understandable why Team Pacquiao would be interested in fighting Broner.

Broner brings a lot to the table.

Should Pacquiao vs Broner happen, it would be quite an event. It would be the biggest fight in Broner's career and the biggest for Manny since his May 2015 showdown with Mayweather.